Safaricom, Kenya’s largest telecoms company, added more broadband subscribers in the first quarter than Starlink has gained in Kenya since launch, underscoring the gap between the attention surrounding satellite internet and its current scale in the market.
The telecom operator gained 83,107 fixed internet subscribers in the quarter ended March, raising its customer base to 941,501, according to the latest data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA). That compares with Starlink’s total subscriber base of 24,999 customers, which grew by just 2,717 during the period.
The figures suggest that while Starlink has captured the attention of regulators, policymakers and rivals, Kenya’s broadband market remains firmly in the hands of operators that have spent years building fibre infrastructure.
The data also indicates that incumbents are responding to the satellite threat with faster speeds and revised pricing, intensifying competition in a market where fibre still accounts for the majority of connections.
In April, Safaricom doubled speeds on several home fibre packages without raising prices, while rivals including Zuku and Jamii Telecommunications have also revised broadband plans as operators battle for market share.
